Hampshire PCC rural engagement forum

CLA South East Rural Adviser Lucy Charman co-organised and attended the first joint Hampshire CLA-NFU Rural Engagement Forum - here is her round-up of how it went...

CLA and NFU members from across Hampshire attended the forum to discuss rural crime in detail, sharing their own experiences, frustrations and concerns and securing some key commitments from the Police and Crime Commissioner to improve confidence and service levels in rural areas.

It was chaired by Hampshire PCC Donna Jones and attended by Assistant Chief Constable Tara McGovern, Inspector Cath Macdonald and Dal Andrews, Proactive CID Detective Chief Inspector.

Rural crime now forms one of the strategic priorities for the force, and the PCC outlined some of the recent investment in technology and resources that will support an improved rural service.

Rural and wildlife crime Inspector Cath MacDonald shared some of the newly formed Rural Taskforce key wins since its inception at the start of June, already having recovered almost £50,000 of stolen items. She gave examples of some of the cross border and inter-agency operations undertaken with representatives from neighbouring forces like Surrey, Thames Valley and Wiltshire, as well as the Hampshire County Council Waste Crime team and the Environment Agency.

Key issues raised by attending landowners included hare coursing, intimidation, theft, fly-tipping, firearms licensing processes and fish poaching.

There was recognition that there is work to be done on both sides regarding reporting, with existing systems often slow and difficult to navigate and landowners failing to report every occurrence, potentially therefore missing opportunities to build up a full picture of trends and links to serious organised crime.

The CLA has been calling for rural crime training for call handlers and front line staff at a national level, and therefore the forum was delighted to hear during the meeting that all police staff including frontline call handlers will receive a rural module as part of the initial induction process.

The forum will convene again in the autumn to enable further feedback on the actions taken, and to build on many of the ideas for joint working that were discussed.